From the Trib Editorial Page:

Two Chicago Democrats in the Illinois Senate paid a call on the Tribune editorial board last week. When prompted, Kwame Raoul and Heather Steans told us they don’t want a recall amendment added to the state constitution. They do, however, want an amendment to kill the mandate of a flat-rate state income tax, now 3 percent for individuals. They telegraphed urgency: Any potential amendment has to clear the General Assembly by May 4 to make November’s ballot.

When Raoul and Steans finished, we asked: So you want the people of Illinois to be able to vote in November on your income tax amendment—but you oppose giving them a vote on the recall amendment?

Pause for reflection on that irony.

“That’s right,” said Raoul, looking down.

I applaud the Tribune for taking this stand. The bigger issue to me though is why only legislators can decide which issues the people get to decide. There are 17 states that allow citizens to initiate a constitutional amendment; Illinois is not one of them. But it should be.